I was recently back home in Philly and over at my Aunt’s house for lunch. As part of our normal chit-chat, drinking tea and some amaze balls lunch she makes for me…I constantly ask for tips on cooking. Because as great of a cook that I am….yes I can say that because it’s true…she is waaaay better. It’s not always easy for me to get her secrets out of her, she’s tough. But she told me about adding fresh spinach to dishes to get that added vegetable in. And it was like some lightbulb went off in my head…”..add spinach…to the protein…for added flavor??’. Why the hell not!

You’re welcome. Here’s my Saag Chicken recipe. No formal instructions…remember – play around in the kitchen and learn.

This dish is nut-free, gluten-free & dairy-free. Whoop Whoop!

Ingredients:

Organic Boneless Chicken Breast (~1.25 lbs)

Onions (small size, 2-3)

Ghee (~1 tbsp)

Ginger

Garlic

Green Chilis (can use Serrano chilis)

Portobello Mushrooms

Fresh Chopped Spinach

Turmeric

Paprika (or red chili powder for more heat)

Salt/Pepper to taste

Cilantro (chopped, for garnish)

Instructions:

So you’ll start to see that in Indian Food, the triple threat of Ginger/Garlic/Green Chilies is everywhere! My mom takes these fresh ingredients, adds some water and blends it into a paste. Then pours it into an ice-cube tray and pops it into the freezer. Voila, anytime a recipe calls for it, just grab a cube! If you’re not cubing it, then you can buy ginger paste and garlic paste (already mashed up for yo lazy ass) and then use that.

Cut the chicken into cubes, add ginger and garlic pastes and mix together. Set aside in the fridge for at least 1/2 hour (the longer the better). In a large dutch oven or deep pot that you like to cook with (something with depth), add ghee. I buy grass-fed and organic cultured ghee which, yes hurts my wallet, but is good for you. I’ve recently gotten all the oil out of my house and only cook with ghee.

When the ghee’s melted add the onions and chopped green chilis. Cook them down a little bit and at this point I add salt. Mix and then add the mushrooms and cook down. Add turmeric and paprika and then add the marinated chicken and mix everything together, adding more paprika and salt to taste. As chicken is cooking, add the spinach. Keep cooking until chicken is no longer pink and the spinach is cooked. Serve over bed of quinoa with chopped cilantro on top as garnish.